Never Again
by d1sT0rT3D-L0v3
Summary: Kagome and InuYasha have had yet another fight, but this one is far more serious then the others. There has been a death... -COMPLETE-
1. Choice

Never Again: Chapter one

Chapter 1: Choice

me: -sighs- so much for our fanfic, eh Kikyo?

Kikyo: hehehe. It was a good idea, though...

me: true, true... anyways here's a new fanfic...it's a kinda weird plot, but I think it works.

Kikyo: she hasn't even told ME what its about, so I cant tell you anything... I have no clue...

me: lol, yeah. Anyways, this fic is dedicated to Luna-chan and Ayame-chan, who always read my fanfics thanks you guys!

Kikyo: please R&R! ((or ill hurt you...))

"KIKYO!"

The scream sliced through the tense air, cutting through the long silence of the dark night. Higurashi Kagome, a fifteen year-old Japanese girl, stood at the edge of the forest, not willing to let her eyes believe what she was seeing...

A girl that looked quite similar to Kagome, with long black waves of cascading hair complementing her thin shoulders, stood next to a white haired hanyou, her pale hand gripping his wrist. Pulling him down into the brown earth. Taking him to hell. Kagome stared at the girl, still in a state of disbelief.

"Kikyo..." Kagome said her name quietly this time. "You love him...don't do this..."

The girl flinched slightly, but continued to grip InuYasha's arm. InuYasha was in a comatose state now, his eyes halfway open and his head limp on one shoulder. His usually vibrant and angry golden eyes were now listless. He wouldn't know what happened until it was too late. Kagome glared at Kikyo, the anger radiating from her whole body. She picked up an arrow and skillfully fit it into the bow she carried.

"Let him go or I'll shoot," Kagome threatened, hoping Kikyo wouldn't sense the fear she felt. The dead miko laughed, a low, cold sound Kagome had heard so many times. How she feared that laugh...

"Hit me? You forget...I _am _you!" Kikyo laughed some more, her frail body shaking slightly. InuYasha was dragged farther down, his red kimono becoming brown with the earth. Small tears formed at the edge of Kagome's eyes, but she refused to shed them.

No. She would not give Kikyo the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

Kagome drew back the bow, aiming for her chest. Kikyo watched with morbid amusement, as though it were an amateur show, rather than a life and death matter. __

_ If this girl hits me, I'll die of shock..._ Kikyo thought wickedly. There was no way a spoiled, future girl of fifteen would kill a great priestess. For god's sake! This was the girl that split the Shikon no Tama. This girl was the reason that InuYasha had obtained all those battle wounds. This girl had brought so much destruction to an era that wasn't even her own.

Kagome pulled the string tighter, almost ready to let the arrow fly. She blew some dark hair out of her eyes, and adjusted her aim. All that was left to do was shoot. Kagome narrowed her eyes, willing herself to let go of the arrow. This was it! Kikyo would finally be gone from their lives, after all this time. No one cared about her, not even Kaede, her own little sister...

No one, except InuYasha.

_Damn it... _Kagome thought angrily. _Once again, I'm putting his feelings before my own. This woman has done nothing for me, except bring me unhappiness. I'm not going to walk away this time! I have had enough of people walking all over me!!_

Kagome's hand shook violently. She had no idea what to do... Shooting Kikyo would open up new problems. And that was assuming that she actually could hit her. Kagome wasn't exactly known for her accuracy with the bow.

A sudden moan snapped her out of her thoughts. InuYasha's eyes were filled with pain; he was now more than halfway gone. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw Kikyo's expression of excitement.

_Only a monster would do something like this... someone with no regard to others, someone without feeling...Does that mean I'm the reincarnation of a monster? _

"Kikyo!" Kagome shouted, a sudden surge of energy in her voice. "I am nothing like you!"

And then she let the arrow fly.

me: yup. That's chapter one.

Kikyo: ...did you kill me?

me: I'm not sayin'...sorry Kikyo-chan. Anyways, this fanfic is gonna be up til its finished. Basically, I don't give a damn if you pplz don't like it. But please, please read and review! Tell me if you think it sucks, I won't hold it against you.

Kikyo:...yeah she will. But seriously, take the extra TWO minutes it takes to review a story.

me: lol, yeah. And just to tell you guys, I'm nearing the end of my school year, so we're getting a load of projects. So if I don't update for a bit, don't freak, im not dead. just doing crappy homework. And with that said...

Me & Kikyo: READ AND REVIEW!!!


	2. Betrayal

Ch. 2

me: seven reviews already?! I luv you guys!!!

Kikyo:...how can you love people who HATE kikyo?!

me: heh, very easily. They give me reviews! Anyways, heres the answer to some of your questions...btw, thanks for the cookie, darthbane! And thank you soo much, Inu Faceness, for being a faithful reader! Anyways, ok, here's the deal. I don't hate or like Kikyo. She's just...there, lol. In fact, I tried to write this fanfic the other way around, with Kikyo shooting Kagome, but it didn't work. Kikyo is too brave, while Kagome on the other hand is still young and.. -ahem- stupid. And the battle wounds Kikyo is talking about is basically just how much InuYasha gets hurt trying to protect Kagome. Ya know what im saying? And no, Naraku isn't defeated. Last, I know that there's some technicalities about how Kikyo has Kagome's soul and stuff, but im choosing not to get into it. I could, but it'd be quite a boring chapter.

Kikyo: are you done? 

me: yesh anyways, hope you like the next chappie, and PLEASE read and review!

To Kagome, the arrow moved in slow motion, piercing through the evil aura of the air. . A cold sweat ran down her forehead as she considered the chances.

_If I miss, Kikyo's gonna be mad that I shot at her, and she'll kill me! But if I hit her, I'll be the one doing the killing, and I have no idea how I could ever face InuYasha again after that... _These thoughts ran through Kagome's mind as the arrow flew closer. She shut her eyes, too afraid to see what would happen.

A gasp of pain and a soft thump sounded as the arrow hit Kikyo square in the chest. Kagome was still covering her face with her hands as Kikyo released InuYasha and hit the ground.

"K-Kikyo...?" Kagome asked, opening her brown eyes slowly and tentatively. The sight was pitiful, with the undead miko laying listlessly on the ground with the arrow in her chest. Kikyo looked up at her, and Kagome braced herself for the hate and cruel words that were sure to come.

"T-Thank...you...." Kikyo whispered. Kagome blinked.

"For what?" she asked, puzzled. How on earth could someone be thanking their...murderer?

"For not...letting me h-hurt...InuYasha." Kikyo choked out the words and looked down at her chest. There was no blood, but she seemed to be fading slowly. She glanced over at InuYasha, a look of longing crossed her chalk-white face.

"Kikyo..." Kagome said, definite tears in her voice. "I am so sorry."

"Don't...be. It's all f-for the best. I could never...l-love him...the way you do..." Kikyo smiled shakily. "And I-" A gasp cut off her last words as her eyes rolled back into her head. A wave of pain seemed to wash over her as she turned to dust, only her gray bones and miko's clothes remaining. Kagome watched this, a look of sadness and horror crossing her face. She put her bow down and dropped to her knees in front of the heap of bones and clothes, burying her face in her hands.

"Kagome?"

Kagome jumped at the sound of her name. She turned around, only to see a very confused and dirt streaked hanyou.

"InuYasha!" Kagome jumped up quickly. What was he going to say when he saw the remains? "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where's Kikyo, did she hurt you?" He walked over to her, stopping short when he saw the bones. Painful understanding showed on every inch of his face as he stared at the pile. His eyes shifted to the bow right next to Kagome, and he understood at once. His glare pierced her heart. Never had she seen such a look on his face.

"You...killed her," he said. "You...a wench from modern day times...killed Kikyo. The most powerful priestess in Japan was _murdered _by you."

"I didn't mean to!" Kagome cried. It was absolutely necessary that InuYasha understood this. "I would never kill her, InuYasha! She was taking you to hell! She was murdering _you!_"

InuYasha turned away, his head shaking slowly.

"W-what?" Kagome asked, taken aback. "You knew?"

"Yes! Do you think I'm so stupid, that I don't know exactly what Kikyo's up to? Keh, I can't believe you'd give me so little credit."

"But doesn't that mean...that you wanted to go?"

InuYasha looked away again. Kagome watched him, her gaze apathetic. He finally stood and carefully gathered the bones and clothes.

"I think its best if you went home now." He said slowly.

"Answer my question!!" Kagome said forcefully. InuYasha scowled.

"Leave...now..." He said again.

"InuYasha!" Kagome said angrily. "I am not moving an inch unless you tell me now! Did you want to go with Kikyo?!" InuYasha's eyes were shaded, and when he looked up, they were so angry that Kagome had to step back.

"You've caused enough damage for one day!! I don't want to even look at you!" The hanyou's look was enough to crack stone; even Naraku would fear him. Kagome looked at him again, her gaze nervous and pleading.

"Please InuYasha...it was a mistake..."

"Mistake?" He laughed madly. "Mistake?! A woman is dead because of your mistake! My Kikyo-" he stopped abruptly.

"Your Kikyo...?" Kagome said softly. "Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was possible to be in love with something that's just grave soil and bones."

And with that, she turned and walked toward the well.

Without even shedding a tear.

And she never looked back.


	3. Thoughts

Ch. 3

me: lala. Ppl seem to like this one... Oo

Kikyo: dude, you're lucky you can still update.

me: yeah, I kno, I kno. Blah. Anyways, is anyone out there a YuGiOh fan? Well, if ya are, you should read Sad Eyed Tenshi's stories. They rock! but im a bit biased cause im one of her friends.

Kikyo: heh, make that a lot biased. Hey...ur my friend, but you still don't like my stories.

me: that's cause they're all about Miroku and Kurama.

Kikyo: oh, thats the reason why...I get it. I see how it is. Its because im DEAD, isnt it??

me: kikyo...this is just a story.. Relax please... Oo ((btw, "kikyo's" real name is Nikki))

Kikyo: -- don't tell them that. -glare- anyways, please R&R!

Kagome sat by the side of the well shrine, her eyes filled with anger and hurt. How could this happen? Things were going so well with InuYasha, and then Kikyo had to come in and...

Kikyo. Kagome shuddered just thinking of her. _What on earth was I thinking when I picked up that bow? Why did I shoot her?_

Many eras away, a white-haired hanyou was wondering almost exactly the same thing. _How did this happen? This is Kagome we're talking about! The girl who's still afraid of bugs and can't shoot an arrow if her life depended on it! _He shook his head and blocked all thoughts of Kagome out of his head. _I don't want to think of that wench unless I absolutely have to... _

"InuYasha!" A tall, slender girl with an oversized boomerang came racing out of the forest, followed by a monk, a cat youkai, and a small kitsune. "InuYasha, what happened? We heard you yelling...where's Kagome-chan?"

InuYasha flinched at the name. "Sango..." As he spoke the demon exterminator's name, Miroku peered at the pile of clothes behind InuYasha.

"Are those...Kikyo's clothes?" Miroku's eyes widened. "Oh mygod InuYasha....what exactly were you two doing?" He raised an eyebrow, his face taking on an amused expression.

"What the hell are you thinking of? Dirty pervert!" InuYasha hit Miroku over the head. "That's not funny!"

"I just wanted the facts, InuYasha!" said Miroku, rubbing his head. InuYasha turned away, a pained expression crossing over his tanned face. Sango looked at him with concern.

"InuYasha...what happened?" she asked softly. He glanced at her, then looked away again. Miroku seemed to realize how serious this situation was.

"Shippo..." he said, addressing the small fox. "Take Kirara and go to Kaede's. We'll be there in a minute. For once, the little youkai did not complain; he merely nodded and motioned for Kirara to follow him into the forest. Miroku then turned back to InuYasha.

"InuYasha... all jokes aside, what really happened tonight? I heard you yelling at Kagome. And if Kikyo's clothes are here, then where is she?" He knelt down, lifting the dead miko's clothes. When he saw the bones, his eyes widened. Sango peeked over the houshi's shoulder. After a long moment of uncomfortable silence, the demon exterminator and the monk turned to face InuYasha, who was still looking at the ground.

"Y-you killed her?" Sango asked shakily. InuYasha shook his head, clearing his throat.

"No..." he said slowly. "K-Kagome did."

"Wha- excuse me?! Are you meaning to tell me that _Kagome _killed Kikyo?" Sango said angrily. "That's unbelievable. I can't believe you'd lie like that, InuYasha!" Miroku wore the same angry look on his face.

"Its one thing to do it; its another to lie about it," Miroku said seriously. InuYasha growled low in his throat. How could they not believe him?! He moved Kikyo's clothes aside, searching in the heap of dust and bones until he found the dusty arrow. Picking it up, he turned and showed it to the others.

"Who's arrow does this look like?! I sure as hell can't shoot an arrow, but hm, I wonder who can!" he yelled, unable to control himself. Sango stared at the arrow, unbelief still in her eyes.

"No," she said simply, as if that would make it all go away. "No. Kagome wouldn't do something like that. She's not...that kind of person." Sango stared at InuYasha once more, dropped the arrow and walked away, shaking her head as she went.

"Does that mean I am that kind of person?!" InuYasha yelled at her retreating back. She flinched, but chose not to answer. He turned on Miroku, his eyes narrowed to gold slits. "Am I?!"

"Sometimes, InuYasha...sometimes I really don't know..." the monk wore a pitying expression as he followed Sango away from the distraught hanyou.

"Kagome...what's wrong with you these days?" Mrs. Higurashi watched her daughter sadly. "Does it have something to do with the well?" Kagome looked out her window, her eyes cold and dark.

"No. Mom, its ok. Stop worrying. I think I have a little cold or something. Its ok, nothing to worry about. Can I go to school tomorrow?"

"If you want to... I'm not too sure, are you positive you don't have the flu?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just need some peace and quiet. Can I go to sleep now? I want to be rested for tomorrow."

"Of course. But if you need anything, just come downstairs, ok?"

"Okay." Kagome watched her mom leave. As soon as she was gone, she lifted the covers over her head and sank down into her pillow. Tomorrow she would go to school and forget about InuYasha. For at least a while, anyway.

me: mwahaha. Took me long enough to write this, ne?

Kikyo: -is asleep-

me: oy...please Read and Review!


	4. Switch

Ch. 4: Change of Heart

me: 21 reviews. Not too bad!

Kikyo: -applauds sarcastically-

me: gomen if I don't update. Its my last week of school, so ya know. but over the summer, I will update tons and make new stories

Kikyo: joy...

me: review please!

"Kagome!" A high pitched voice penetrated Kagome's skull as she walked into the main building of her school. Within two seconds, she was surrounded by her friends, all of whom looked overly excited.

"Kagome!" Ayumi squealed again. "Hojo-kun said he li-ikes you!"

"Oh really? That's nice." Kagome said offhandedly, pushing her hair behind her ear. Hojo was the last thing on her mind right now.

"Kagome Higurashi!" Ayumi scowled and put her hands on her hips. "What is wrong with you?! Honestly, the most popular guy in our whole school is practically in love with you, and you don't care!"

"I betcha it's the other guy again..." Yuka muttered. "He just doesn't leave you alone, huh Kagome?" Kagome frowned slightly, picking up her pace toward the school.

"Seriously though, Kagome. Hojo really likes you, and you are killing him by ignoring him!" Eri said dramatically. Kagome walked faster, willing herself not to think of Hojo, InuYasha, or anyone else for that matter.

"Well, would you say yes if he asked you out?" Yuka asked.

"Uh, I don't know, I'd have to think about it..." Kagome said unconcernedly. She was almost to the front gate of her school.

"WHAT?!" All three of her friends shouted the word in unison.

"Did I just hear what I thought I heard?!"

"Why on earth would you say that?"

"He is in love with you!"

"It's the other guy, right? He's ruining your life!"

"Yeah! What a complete jerk!"

"Kagome, dump him already! If you-" Eri stopped mid sentence, staring at Kagome. "Kag? Are you ok?"

"Don't...talk about him like that..." Kagome said angrily, her voice low and dangerous.

"Why not! He's making your life a living hell!" Yuka countered. Kagome flinched at the word _hell. _

"He's making my life a living hell?!" Kagome turned on her friends, her eyes flaming. "You three don't know the half of it! As a matter of fact, its _me _who's making his life hell!" And with that, Kagome stormed out of the school yards, with her friends silent behind her.

The sun was high in the sky by the time InuYasha awoke. The birds were chirping, the grass was green, and there was just natural good feeling all around.

It was enough to make the hanyou sick.

Somehow, it didn't seem fair that the world could go on after such loss. Kikyo was dead, for sure this time, and Kagome was probably never going to come back. In trying to save one of his loves, InuYasha had lost both. He wondered what Kagome was doing right now: probably fuming on her bed, with used tissues scattered all over her room.

She did cry a lot, that wench. It was amazing how someone who sobbed every time InuYasha received injuries, someone who screamed about spiders, and couldn't shoot an arrow to a target four feet away, had killed Kikyo. InuYasha glanced at the pile next to his tree. The clothes and bones were still there, untouched and sad looking. What should be done with them?

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Mrs. Higurashi watched as her daughter stomped into the house and put her books down on the table. "It's eleven o'clock...shouldn't you be at school?

"Yeah but... I think I need to stay home. I know I said I wanted to go, but I'm beginning to think it's a bad idea. It's just..." _too soon, _Kagome thought_. It's too soon to face anybody. _After all, she had just found out she was capable of murdering someone without a single thought to the consequences.

"Well, I wasn't expecting you home so early, so I said I'd go to work," Mrs. Higurashi said softly. "But if you need to find me, you know where I am." She gave Kagome a small peck on the forehead, and left for work. Kagome sighed with relief. Thank goodness her mom hadn't pressured her for details. Kagome stared out the window of the kitchen, firmly making sure her eyes didn't drift to the well...

But of course they did. And she stared at the well for quite a long time before making a very rash decision. Kagome ran upstairs, grabbing the pack she usually took to the feudal era. _I just want to know what he's doing right now; he doesn't necessarily have to know I'm there...but I have to know what he's done since I've been gone. _

She sprinted through her front door, jumping into the old well, as she had many times. The familiar time travel feeling comforted her, as she sailed through eras. Landing on her feet, Kagome looked up into the clear sky of the feudal era. She climbed up the well, carefully poking her head out to make sure InuYasha was not nearby. He wasn't. Kagome crept out of the well, blinking in the strong sunlight.

"Kagome-chan!" A high, slightly breathless voice startled Kagome. It was merely Sango and Miroku. Kagome started to wave, until a thought crashed into her.

_Do they know what I've done?_

"Kagome-sama!" Miroku looked at Kagome, a look of concern and anxiety drifting in his dark eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Miroku, Sango, is something wrong?" A sinking feeling entered Kagome's stomach as Sango and Miroku exchanged a knowing look.

"Well, Kagome, actually there is...something..." Sango started slowly. "Last night, we came across InuYasha, and he had quite a strange tale to tell us. Now, of course we didn't believe him at first- we'd never jump to conclusions like that!- but he showed us your arrow, and we thought that maybe..." Sango faltered, looking down at the ground. Kagome knew what it was instantly. Sango and Miroku, and probably Shippo and Kaede as well, wanted to know what had happened. Kagome felt hot, knowing her face was probably bright red. To buy herself time, she looked over the field, only to see a familiar fox demon racing to join them.

"Kagome!" Shippo leapt into her arms, his face breaking into a happy smile. Kagome couldn't help grinning, in spite of herself. Miroku and Sango, however, still looked stone serious.

"Kagome...could you please tell us what happened?" Miroku asked pointedly. Shippo looked up at Kagome quizzically.

"Oh come on, guys! Kagome probably had nothing to-"

"Shippo-chan..." Kagome cut him off. There was no point in pretending. "I did. I killed Kikyo that night, with one of my arrows." Kagome stared boldly at Sango and Miroku, who stared back, horrified.

"I-I thought InuYasha was lying..." Sango said, a look of disgust on her face. Miroku stared at Kagome as though he were seeing her for the first time. Shippo jumped out of her lap, a horrified expression on his young face. He backed away a little, still staring.

"Oh no..Shippo-chan, I didn't mean to..." Kagome held out her hands for the little youkai, but he just backed away more. She looked at Miroku and Sango for help. "You guys, please tell him I didn't do it on purpose!" But Kagome might as well have been talking to stone, for all the good they did.

"I never knew you were capable of such murder, Kagome." Sango said coldly. "I suppose spending time with InuYasha has made you more violent."

"I would expect something like this from Kikyo, not from you..." Miroku stated angrily. "I used to wonder how you, a kind girl from modern times, could be reincarnated from this priestess, so full of murder and anger. Now I have no doubt. You definitely have a connection with Kikyo." Sango nodded.

"Both of you can kill someone, and not look back." Sango finished the monk's thought, then scooped up Shippo. "Come on, Shippo-chan, let's go back to Kaede's." Kagome stared at Shippo, pleading with her eyes. The fox wouldn't look at her.

"She's like a monster, Sango..." Shippo said shakily.

"Shippo!" Kagome gasped at the fox's words. She rushed toward Sango, but Shippo let out a cry and burrowed deeper into Sango's arms.

"Don't let her hurt me," he sobbed. Kagome's eyes filled with tears, seeing Shippo so afraid of her. Sango shook her head.

"I won't, Shippo. Don't worry." And then Sango walked away, with Miroku at her heels. Kagome stared after them, a single tear dropping down her nose. Her friends, the friends who she had fought with against Naraku, were now disgusted and afraid of her. All because of the one decision, the one choice she had made....

To kill.

me: hoped you liked it! Please R&R!

Kikyo: is drunk on soda


	5. Some Marks Never Fade

Ch. 5

me: sorry if I scared ppl with the last chapter... lol. I think I've been hanging out with the maniac points to Kikyo-chan for too long.

Kikyo: excuse me?!

me: lol

Kikyo: im not a maniac...

me: Oo please R&R! Btw, im gonna be away for a weekend, so sry if it takes me a while to post!

Kagome knelt in the damp grass, her head in her hands. The three people she thought she could trust most had turned their back on her. And they hadn't even cared about her side of the story. Kagome sighed and stood up, wiping the moist dirt off her pleated school skirt. She needed to find InuYasha. Hopefully, he had calmed down a bit.

_But what if he hasn't? _Kagome wondered, nervously. Pushing that thought out of her head, she began walking toward the dark forest, in search of the white haired hanyou.

"Houshi-sama, do you think we were too hard on Kagome?" Sango asked anxiously, twirling a piece of dark hair that had fallen from her ponytail. She sat outside Kaede's hut, staring at the ground. "After all, we don't know the whole story..."

"Sango, she killed Kikyo." Miroku said dutifully. He sat next to Sango, his eyes shining with remorse. "She didn't have any reason, she just shot her. Now if that's not considered murder, I don't know what is." Shippo glanced up at the monk from his spot in the grass.

"But Miroku...what if Kagome did have a reason? Maybe it was self-defense!" Shippo said confidently. "If I know Kagome, then she wouldn't just do something like that without a good reason!"

"If that's what it was, then we've been far too hard on her." Sango stood, a determined glint in her eyes. "We need to find InuYasha and ask him about it."

Miroku sighed. "Sango..."

"Are you coming with us or not?" Sango asked, scooping up the fox youkai. Miroku stared at her for a second, then sighed again and got up.

"It couldn't hurt to know, I suppose..." Miroku said, shrugging.

InuYasha wandered in the deep forest, carrying the bones tenderly in his arms. The sunlight made patterns on the ground, and small animals scurried across the path. It was so damn cheerful, InuYasha could have killed himself right then and there. Instead he sat down heavily, examining the nearest tree...

...which for some reason, looked familiar...

It wasn't the old God Tree, that was for sure. But it was still somewhat familiar...InuYasha closed his eyes, as a flashback came tearing into his mind.

_An arrow flew through the air and pinned a white haired teenager to the tree, by his kimono sleeve. It didn't pierce the skin, but it shocked him, nevertheless. The shooter, a young girl with long dark hair, grinned smugly._

_ "Got ya again!" She yelled, wiping the sweat of her forehead with one long white sleeve. The boy scowled, his dog ears twitching in annoyance._

_ "Am I your target practice, Kikyo?!" He yelled, trying to pull himself free without ripping his sleeve. Kikyo smiled again, and shot another arrow, making sure it just barely missed him. This time, it caught his pant leg. _

_ "InuYasha, you need to be much quicker if you ever want to be a full demon," Kikyo said, shaking her head in mock sadness. _

_ "Yeah, well, full demon's wouldn't sit here and let a wench like you shoot them for fun!" InuYasha retorted angrily. His unpinned hand reached to pull out one of the two arrows, but the miko was having too much fun to let him go that easily. Her next arrow barely missed his head. _

_ "Goddammit! Finish me off already, if that's what you're getting at!" He yelled. Kikyo looked at him, surprised. _

_ "You didn't think I'd really kill you, did you, InuYasha?" She asked, walking over to him and pulling the arrow that pinned his arm to the tree out. "You're my friend, you know."_

_ "Yeah, well..." InuYasha couldn't think of a comeback to that one, so he remained silent, allowing Kikyo to pull out the other two arrows. She placed them back in her pouch, avoiding his eyes. _

_ "I don't think you understand how hard it is to be me, InuYasha." Kikyo said quietly. "Day in and day out, I'm expected to keep calm, under control, otherwise, my village may go into chaos. Kaede-chan is counting on me, as is every single villager. If I let my guard down for even a minute, everyone notices. Which is why everyone is so suspicious of me being friends with a possible threat to our village." _

_ "Heh...is that a hint, Kikyo? D'ya want me to leave and never come back?" He moved a little closer to her, staring into her eyes. Did she know what he was thinking right now?_

_ "No! No, don't leave! You're the only true friend I have...the only one who understands me..." Small tears formed at the edge of her eyes, as InuYasha realized:_

_ He'd never seen Kikyo cry..._

_ "Kikyo..." He pulled her close, in a gentle hug, quite contrasting to his usual angry demeanor. She held back her tears, determined to uphold her strong nature, but she allowed herself to be hugged by the hanyou. She stared into his eyes. Was it just her, or was he getting closer..._

_ And closer..._

"Grr!" InuYasha shook his head angrily. He didn't want to think about that, not at all. That was over half a century ago. A thing of the past. Yes, he had kissed Kikyo, countless times. But what was the point in remembering that, if all that remained of her was bones? InuYasha stood up. This tree had been special to both him and Kikyo, and it was the perfect place to lay her to rest.

It was almost unnerving to think that the miko who had cheated death twice, was now being laid to rest by him, InuYasha. A no-good hanyou, with a full demon brother, and a father known throughout the villages. And a mother...a mortal mother.

It would have been funny, had it been someone else besides him. InuYasha knelt down besides a patch of dirt, soon to be Kikyo's final grave. And this time, she wouldn't come back...

Me: muwahaha. Evil cliffy-ness.

Kikyo: -drools over kurama pictures-

me: -takes them away and burns them-

Kikyo: WHA-?!?! MY KURAAAAAMA!! -breaks down and sobs-

me: Oo please R&R!

Kikyo: -goes online to download more pictures- hehehe, lookit the funny hentai...__


	6. Answers?

Ch. 6

me: ok, I have to announce a really bad thing. But first, I have to say that I do not own InuYasha. So there...

Kikyo: heh, I never would have guessed...

me: grrr...shut up. Anyways, the bad thing is... I messed up. Really bad. Very very bad. I'm currently in the process of writing a fanfic w/Sesshomauru in it. And it was really late when I was writing ch. 5 of Never Again, so I guess I messed up. Cause Sesshomauru is NOT supposed to be in this story. I repeat: Sesshomauru is NOT in Never Again. I edited the chapter, and cut him out. Once again, im sooooorry!!

So I'll say it one more time: _Sesshomauru is NOT in Never Again. It was a mistake!! Sorry!_

"Grrr...InuYasha, where are you?" Kagome muttered to herself. She had been searching for what felt like forever. Leaves and sticks decorated her hair, and her usually white uniform top was stained with mud. She sat down heavily on a rock, pulling the forest debris out of her hair. "If I can't find him in the next hour, I'm going home..." Kagome started to rise again, but a scratching sound made her stop and turn. She walked cautiously to the next tree, and peeked into the clearing behind it.

There knelt InuYasha, digging into a small patch of dirt. Kikyo's bones lay next to him, and the arrow Kagome had used was stuck into the ground. Kagome suddenly realized what he was doing...he was going to bury Kikyo...

"Houshi-sama, are you sure we're going the right way?" Sango asked, her eyes on the young monk. "We've been around and around this forest, and there's still no sign of him."

"Yeah, Miroku... do you even know where you're going?" Shippo asked testily. He was quite tired, and not used to walking so much...after all, Kagome used to carry him everywhere.

"Sango, Sango, Sango..." He said tiredly. "I am merely following my instinct..."

"That means we're lost..." Sango muttered.

"What?"

"Oh...nothing. Keep going, Houshi-sama."

"Uh...Miroku...I hear something...." Shippo said quietly. The group stopped, listening intently. Sango walked forward, her footsteps falling softly. She pushed back a few leaves, and peeked into the sunlit clearing. Miroku and Shippo quickly followed Sango, lifting leaves and branches so they could see. It was InuYasha, digging into the ground. The group realized what he was doing, and Sango sighed sadly. She and Miroku watched InuYasha continue to dig the grave, but Shippo grew tired of standing. He sat down quietly in the grass, taking in his surroundings. The snap of a twig nearby made him jump; he looked left and right for the culprit. A flash of raven black hair caught his aquamarine eyes. Was that...?

Kagome bit her lip. She knew that Shippo-chan had seen her. He, Sango and Miroku were spying on InuYasha as well as she was. She needed to talk to the half demon, and sitting here watching him wasn't going to help at all. Kagome pushed through the brush, making a loud rustling sound, and startling everyone present, including InuYasha. He turned quickly. The woeful look in his eyes vanished as he spotted her; now they were angry and dark.

"Kagome, what are you doing here?" He asked coldly. "I thought I told you to leave."

"I did leave, InuYasha...but I had to come back and see you...I needed to talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about,"

"Yes there is! You weren't even conscious when I...well, when it happened. Don't you think you should know the whole story before you blame me?"

"Who else is there to blame?! You were there, you murdered her, and then you gave me some sob story about how it wasn't your fault!!"

"InuYasha, I never said that! I take full blame; after all, it was me shooting the arrow. But-"

"You just said it yourself, Kagome! You did it!"

"She was dragging you to hell! Don't you remember what happened before you blacked out?"

"I already told you, I wanted to go! There is _nothing _for me here, except pain and suffering!"

"He wanted to go?" Sango said, horrified. She fell back upon her heels, her eyes wide. "But I thought..."

"You thought he was in love with Kagome..." Miroku finished for her. "So did I..."

"But Miroku...that means she did have a reason for shooting that arrow..." Sango whispered hoarsely. "She didn't just do it out of jealously, she needed to protect InuYasha! Oh god, Miroku! That means what we said to her..."

"So...she didn't just do it for no reason?" Shippo asked quizzically. "Does that mean we were wrong?"

"Yes, Shippo.." Miroku said sadly. "We were very wrong..."

"Pain and suffering?" Kagome whispered. "What about your friends? What about Miroku, Sango, Shippo? And what about me?" Her eyes darted to the place where Miroku and Sango hid.

"Feh. As if humans could keep me tied to this world."

"Kikyo's human! And you still love her, don't you?"

"I-" InuYasha didn't seem to know what to say. He did love Kikyo, right? But...there was still Kagome.... he'd have to leave her behind, too. And she was so... unlike Kikyo. He looked into Kagome's eyes. This wasn't fair to her, dodging this question all the time.

"Kagome..."

Sango and Miroku watched him excitedly. This was it! He was finally going to admit his love to Kagome... Shippo grinned, his fox tail waving in happiness.

"I think I'm in love with Kikyo."


	7. Hit or Miss

Ch. 7

me: oogh...damn you, writer's block!! Btw, just to tell ya, I know, I KNOW the characters are OOC. But the reasons are: one: it's a fanfic, so they can be ooc. Two: I havent watched or read InuYasha in a really long time, so im kinda forgetting a lil...lol. And three: consider the circumstances InuYasha is in. Also, if you don't like the OOC, or if you think he's being too ruthless, then DON'T read this chapter, lol. Like I said, its Kikyo. And anyways, I'm not Takahashi-sama, I didn't make the characters, therefore, I don't have a problem with twisting their personalities slightly, as long as it doesn't get absolutely unreasonable. Aren't I right, Kikyo-chan?

Kikyo: didn't hear a word I said wow, I never knew Kurama was so..

me: so what?

Kikyo: so bendy... wow...this is a nice picture.

me: OO ew! This is only a PG-13 rated fanfic!!

Kikyo: huh? Oh...oops..

me: by the way, ---- means that either time has passed, or it's a different setting, or different characters. Got it?

"You think you're in love with Kikyo?" Kagome asked, trying not to let herself believe it.

"I-I _know _I'm in love with Kikyo." InuYasha said quietly. He looked at Kagome sadly, then went back to digging the grave. She stared at him silently.

"He chose Kikyo?" Miroku said incredulously. "After all that time, after all those hints, he still went back to her?"

"I can't believe him!" Sango muttered angrily. "What kind of person drops suggestions like that, then goes the other way?"

"So InuYasha and Kagome aren't in love?" Shippo asked.

"I guess not, Shippo-chan.." Miroku said. _It just didn't seem right, though. He's saved her from every little thing that comes up, been jealous of her staying in her era too long, plus, she saved his life! How could he choose Kikyo? _ The monk slowly inched toward Sango, and put his hand on top of hers. This time, she didn't protest. The two sat there together, watching the truth unfold in front of them. __

"Inu..Yasha.." Kagome's eyes shone with unshed tears. She squatted down next to him. The grave was almost finished. Soon Kikyo would have a final place to rest.

"Kagome...I think you should leave now..for good." He didn't look at her, _couldn't _look at her. It was almost as though he had betrayed her.

"I can't just leave!" Kagome protested. "There's too much here! Look, I can understand that you love Kikyo, but don't you still need me to find the jewel shards? And I can't just leave Shippo, and Sango, and Miroku!"

"Yes you can." InuYasha said firmly. He stood up, wiping his hands on his kimono.

"Then how are you supposed to find the shards if you can't even see them? You might as well just give our part of the jewel to Naraku, 'cause you know you're not going to find anymore! I mean, look, InuYasha..." her voice softened. "You don't need to be in love with me, but you do need me. And being stubborn isn't going to help you kill Naraku."

"But what will help me kill Naraku is not having to tote around some weak girl who can't fight for herself! In fact, without you, I can fight better and not have to worry about bailing you out of some random situation you stuck yourself into!" InuYasha snarled. "We'd be much better off without you!"

For a minute, Kagome looked as though she was going to start crying. But she quickly regained herself, narrowing her eyes and glaring at InuYasha. "If I'm such a nuisance, and you'd be so much better off without me, then why don't I just leave you alone, here with your dead girlfriend?"

"Whoa, she is not happy..." Miroku whispered. "Should we get in there and help out?"

"And, Miroku, Sango, you guys can come out, 'cause I know you're in there!" Kagome yelled.

"Yeah, Miroku, I think we should get in there..." Sango replied, standing up. "Look, Kagome. Apparently, InuYasha is just a little... um, unstable right now, but that's understandable! In fact-"

"I don't need you to tell Kagome what I'm feeling, Sango!" InuYasha yelled. "I can tell her myself. What I want is for you to go, and never come back! This is not where you belong, even if you can see the shards. So just get out!!"

"InuYasha..." Miroku started.

"No, Miroku! This isn't something I'm just going to forget about!"

"But-" Miroku opened his mouth to argue some more, but Kagome stopped him.

"Miroku, its all right, I'll go home."

"But Kagome! You can't just leave us here forever! We need you... despite what InuYasha says..."

"Oh Sango..." Kagome bit her lip to keep from crying. Sango was right, she couldn't just leave them. InuYasha was still watching them, an oddly wistful look in his eyes. But as Kagome turned to him, the look disappeared, and he grew cold once more.

"Kagome, get out now, or I will make you." InuYasha said quietly. Miroku widened his eyes and shifted his hand slightly so he could unleash his Kazaana.

"Is that a threat, InuYasha?" He asked. Behind him, Sango grasped the handle of her Hiraikotsu. They were both ready to attack if InuYasha grew violent.

"Why do you care, Miroku?" InuYasha smirked. He cracked his knuckles menacingly. _I'm just so tired of carting around mortals everywhere. Look where its gotten me. I have nothing to lose now. Kagome hates me, Kikyo is gone. Where humans are concerned, there's only pain...like with my mother...I couldn't save her, and I couldn't save Kikyo. If Kagome stays here, I'm sure something will happen...and I won't be able to stop it. There's nothing more for me to do. _

"Kagome...go." Miroku said quietly. Little Shippo peeked out from his hiding spot in the branches. His eyes were filled with tears, and he looked at Kagome sadly. She stared at him for a split second, then turned to Miroku.

"Wha-? Miroku, no! I'm going to stay here, and help you!" Kagome cried.

"You can't help. Just go. I promise, we'll find a way to see you again. This isn't goodbye, Kagome-chan." Sango murmured. She turned slightly, just enough to flash Kagome a small smile. Miroku turned too, but at that moment, InuYasha lunged forward. He had to scare Miroku and Sango off...they were constant reminders of how weak he was, to be traveling with mortals.

"GO!" Miroku yelled, using his staff to fend InuYasha off. Kagome blinked, trying to take in the scene. Then, she turned and ran, through the forest. She could still hear the sounds of the battle; the cling of metal, Miroku's yells, and Sango's cry of "Hiraikotsu!" She could hear the crack of the trees as the boomerang crashed through them. Kagome could see the well, and was about to jump into it when she heard a bone chilling sound.

It was InuYasha's attack... Kagome had seen him use it many times; she knew the sound well. He almost never missed, he never failed to... to tear his victims to shreds. She heard Sango scream: once. Then she flung herself down into the well, tears finally spilling down her cheeks.

Kagome touched down onto the cold stone. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. _Had InuYasha killed Miroku and Sango? It wasn't likely. After all, its not like InuYasha has never missed. He could have been inches from getting Miroku, and that's why Sango screamed... that could be it... but what about Shippo? And why was he being so unreasonable? Did he want to scare them? Or was he actually intending to hurt them? _It was too hard to think about. Kagome wiped her eyes on her sleeve, and lifted herself out of the well. She sat on the edge for a while, thinking about her friends. How was she going to keep herself from traveling back to the Sengoku-Jidai? She had never stayed away for more than three days... Kagome turned and slowly went into her house, climbing the stairs to her room. There was a candle and a box of matches on the dresser, with a note from her Grandpa and her mother.

_Dear Kagome-chan,_

_ You weren't home when me and your mom came back, so we went out to the market. Don't worry, Sota is with us. There's some food in the refrigerator, if you're hungry. By the way, if you're still feeling sick, light this candle. It should clear your sinuses and make you well. Anyways, we'll see you when we get back!_

_ From Grandpa and Mom _

Kagome sat down on her bed, looking at the candle. She highly doubted it would make her feel better. Her grandfather believed in too many old legends. She was about to go put the candle downstairs...

That is, until the box of matches caught her eye... after all, she couldn't go back to the feudal era if there was no portal...

Right?

me: lala. Btw, im waiting for 65 reviews til I update! Please be nice and review my humble little story!

Kikyo: yep! And also, don't keep telling her that its OOC, cause she knows, and Im the one she complains to, so if you leave a review like that, you're only hurting ME!!

me: shut up... they should leave more reviews like that so I know what to do in my next fanfic...

Kikyo: if there is a next one...

me: true, true. Lol, anyways, please read and review!!


	8. In the Fire's Eyes

Ch. 8

me: thanks to everyone who reviewed my stories, especially SilverTailz, who gave me some good advice!

Kikyo: =P

To InuYasha, everything was moving in slow motion. He was about halfway to tearing through Miroku and Sango. He could see their fear, and their pathetic attempts to escape. It was as though he was fighting against himself, rather than them.

Two more seconds...two more seconds and they'd be dead; merely a memory in the vast country of Japan. But was it really worth it? Two mortals, dead because of his personal scars?

No. It wasn't worth it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he did it. InuYasha shifted his body to the left, violently slamming into a tree that was barely a foot away from Sango. The impact hurt, but it was nothing compared to the pain he would have felt by killing them. He slumped against the tree, pulling his sharp claws from the bark.

"Houshi-sama, be ready!" Sango muttered, her eyes searching InuYasha's face. She didn't trust the hanyou, not after his anger at Kagome. InuYasha stood abruptly, making the two mortals flinch.

"I'm not going to attack." InuYasha said shortly, turning and walking across the clearing. Right before he disappeared into the trees, he paused before the miko's grave. Tenderly, he pulled the arrow from the bush he had thrown it into, and stabbed it into the dirt.

A priestess's arrow marking a priestess's grave. It may have been morbid, to mark her grave with the same tool that killed her, but it was all he had.

Kagome stared at the matches in her hand. If there was no well to travel through, then there was no possible way she could return. And that was what InuYasha wanted, right?

_But this is permanent. Burn the well, and you've cut off the link forever. _Was it reasonable? Kagome started to put the matches down, when she remembered the look in his eyes. Full of hate, anger and pain. And she realized she never wanted to see those eyes again.

Never again.

InuYasha rushed toward the Bone-Eaters well. He had to see her. He couldn't let her sit in her own era, thinking that he hated her. His demon side must have gotten the best of him. There was no other way to explain the rush of fear and hate. If that was what it felt like to be a demon, he wanted Kagome to know that he would never again dream of becoming one.

Never again.

She rushed down her stairs, tripping and falling on the last two steps, the matches tumbling from her hand. Kagome gathered them back up, thrust the door open, and stepped into the setting sunlight. Tears dripped from her eyes as she looked at the old, wooden well. It wouldn't stand a chance against a good fire. She knelt down next to it, her head touching the fragile wood. This was her last chance to turn back. Her hands shook as she removed a match from the box. It was now or never. She slowly ran the match along the side, too slow to light it. Tears wet the box, and she wiped them away. For a few minutes, she stood there, her head bowed to the well, and her hands ready to strike the match....

...which she dropped. There was no way she could do something like this. She was about to turn and go back inside, when a familiar voice popped into her head.

_"There is nothing for me here, except pain and suffering!"_

Did he really mean that? Wasn't she here for him? Weren't Miroku, Sango and Shippo there for him? Didn't he know that? And then...he had called her a nuisance.

"If he doesn't need me," Kagome said to herself. "Then I don't need him. And there's no point going back to someone who hates you." This seemed to strengthen her reason, and she struck the match against the shrine. It burned red-orange, flickering dangerously near the well. Was this a stupid idea? She stared at the match, as though it could answer her question.

A slight wind blew her hair toward the well, and she quickly held it back with one hand. It wouldn't do to get her hair aflame.

_Well, its now or never. _Kagome thought determinedly. Her hands shook violently as she moved the match near the well. It was about an inch away when another wind blew the flame into the wood. Almost instantly, the shrine caught fire. Kagome fell back onto her heels, scrambling away from the raging fire as quickly as possible.

InuYasha reached the well. He peered down into it. A red flash lit up the darkness, and he blinked hard, shaking his head to wear off the surprise. What the hell was that? He backed away from the well, a curious expression on his face. Was Kagome in trouble?

It was almost gone. Kagome sat about seven feet away, the fire reflected in her brown eyes. Her face was expressionless as she watched it burn. She slowly rose, and walked into her house, grabbing the cordless phone from the counter. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for the bit of acting she would have to do. Her pale fingers dialed the number of the fire department.

"Hello?! Oh my god, there's a fire outside my house! I was lighting candles around the well, and- oh my god, it caught fire!" Kagome sobbed a bit, for effect. In reality, her eyes were as dry as the old well.

"Miss? Miss, please calm down. We'll be right there. Can you give us the location of your house?"

As Kagome told the man where she lived, her eyes set on the burned well. It was all gone now. She wouldn't travel through time anymore. She wouldn't see Sango, Miroku or Shippo. Or...him.

Never again.

me: this isn't the end! There's still one more chapter. And possibly an epilogue.

Kikyo: -whispers- she had writer's block. Really bad writer's block. . thought you outta know.

me: true, true. Please R&R!


	9. Forever and For Always

Ch. 9

me: hello! I'm sorry I haven't been updating... please forgive me?

Kikyo: I wouldn't forgive you, if I were a reviewer.

me: that's why you're not a reviewer, stupid.

Kikyo: ...feh

me: lol. By the way, this is the last chapter, but there is going to be an epilogue.

InuYasha poked his head into the well. It seemed fine now. He quickly jumped in, expecting to feel the usual strangeness he felt when he went to Kagome's era.

But it didn't come. There was no time shift, no feeling of falling forever. It was just...normal.

_Don't tell me...she plugged it up? Is she hurt? What happened?? And what was the red flash? _InuYasha had too many questions to answer at once. He bit his lip, his sharp fang drawing crimson blood, a salty taste filling his mouth as he searched for the answers. He sat heavily on the cold floor, and put his head onto his knees. If only he hadn't yelled at her so much. InuYasha gingerly poked the wall of the well with his claw. It seemed flimsy, for some reason. Mindlessly, InuYasha tugged at his rosary.

_I was so mad, the day that wench, Kikyo's sister, placed this curse on me. She told me that I would never be able to get it off, until all the shards were gathered, or until..._

_ ...until one of our worlds was unreachable. Permanently unreachable. The rosary is useless if Kagome can't control it, that's why. I remember her words like it was yesterday, because I recall thinking that I'd just plug up the well next time Kagome went home. These old beads are drawn to Kagome, they'll return to her. If Kagome really did do something to the well, it's the only way I'll know for sure. _

Carefully, InuYasha began to pull the blue and white beads from his neck. He was sweating quite hard. It was unexplainably hot. They clinked as he moved them, and got caught in his pale hair. He untangled them, and suddenly yanked them clear off his head. It took a moment to register in InuYasha's mind that they were off. He blinked four times, then looked again. They were still resting in his hand. It was actually quite odd. A few months ago, he would have given anything to get them off.

Now, all he wanted was to feel them back on, resting against his skin like they had for so many months. He wanted to feel the familiar tug that always accompanied him when he tried to remove them. Hell, he wouldn't even mind being 'sat' if it meant that Kagome was back.

But she wasn't. And she never would be. Never again. It was almost ironic, that's what it was. The woman he had despised for a good month and a half, was now the one he missed the most. He didn't think he had ever missed anyone like this in his whole life, except perhaps his mother.

"Lost another mortal, haven't you?" InuYasha thought aloud. He knocked his head against the well, not even feeling the painful tingle. This was a horrible feeling, one he had never felt before. In fact...

He hadn't even felt this bad about Kikyo, now that he thought about it. He was angry, and surprised, but not all that...sad. Of course, he had felt some remorse, but it was nothing compared to this. For all he knew, Kagome could be dead. And that was worse, not knowing. All he could think of was the times that he had yelled at her for not coming back soon enough. The times that she had 'sat' him, for being so stupid. And then, Miroku and Sango would convince him to go check on her, and he would, but in secret, of course. It happened almost once a week. The hanyou reflected on separate memories. This feeling...it was stronger than anything he had ever felt for Kikyo. Even when she was alive, InuYasha had never felt like this. It was mind-numbing, horrible but great. Was this the "true love" Miroku was always talking about?

_Heh. I'm listening to something Miroku said. I must really be losing it. That monk loves every girl he can get his greasy hands on.... but... it did seem like the monk looked at Sango differently. It wasn't usually the look he had when he asked woman to bear his children. It was pretty different. Like he wanted to be with her, not because she was just some woman that traveled with them, but because she was her. _It was confusing to think about. Did he have the same feeling for Kagome that Miroku did for Sango? Or was it just the fact that she was gone? _I suppose that's a question that will never be answered. _ InuYasha stared at the rosary in his hands, then lay it down. He didn't have anything else for her. InuYasha coughed slightly, his eyes shining. Then, against his will, a single tear dripped from his eye onto the rosary. Disgusted with himself, InuYasha spat, shook his head and hopped out of the well.

The fire was almost gone. The well was a mere memory. It was almost too much to bear. Kagome watched as the firefighters blasted the last flame with their hose. Her mother, Souta and Grandfather were standing by the ashes. From the window, Kagome could see her mother thanking the firefighters, and her Grandpa shaking his head in misery. Souta was next to his mother, looking confused. Gradually, the firefighters departed, and the family headed toward the house. Kagome met them at the door.

"I think I'm going to go sit by the ashes, mom." Kagome said quietly. Her mom nodded. There was no use in asking questions.

Kagome walked outside and sat by the black ashes. She stared at them sadly, her eyes filled with heavy tears. Surprisingly, she didn't regret it at all. It was just something that had to be done, for her own good. Kagome closed her eyes, remembering the first time she had met InuYasha. He had yelled at her, of course. But as time went on, she began understanding him. Then, they had met the tiny kitsune, Shippo, the tough demon hunter, and the lecherous monk. Together, they would defeat the evil demon, Naraku.

Now that all seemed like a very long dream. Something you would read about in a manga, not something that would happen to you in real life. Because in real life, you didn't fall in love with half-demons. You didn't fight against an undead priestess. No one used gigantic boomerangs, or had a demon cat. People didn't have holes in their hands, either.

But...they did. They were her friends, and she had deserted them. Kagome sobbed into her hands as the memories came rushing back.

_InuYasha discovering ramen. _

_Sango slapping Miroku as he rubbed her behind._

_ InuYasha arguing with Shippo, and attempting to twist his head off._

_ The tiny toad, Jakken, and the little girl, named Rin, who traveled with InuYasha's brother, Sesshomauru. _

_ Sango hitting Miroku when he hit on other girls. _Would those two ever realize their feelings for each other? Kagome would never know.

And most of all: InuYasha turning bright red whenever anyone hinted about him and Kagome. How he would grumble and kick at the ground. How he would sulk up in his tree. She'd never see him do that again.

_And...I never got to tell him that he shouldn't be ashamed to be a hanyou. I never told him lots of things. I never told him...that I was in love with him. Now he'll never know how I truly felt. He'll go on with his life, and he'll think I deserted him. And I never told him that his mother never meant to desert him! She died, InuYasha. It wasn't her fault. She loved you more than anything in this world. You meant so much to her...and to me. But now you'll never know. _

Kagome cleared her throat. "InuYasha..." she whispered into the ash. "I know you can't hear me, but I want you to know that you were my first real love. And I'll never forget you, and no one can take your place. And I'll go on with my life, because I know you wouldn't want me to dwell." she laughed slightly. "You'd say I was being ridiculous, then you'd call me a wench and retreat into your tree, like always. But just remember me, too. Even if you did love Kikyo, just leave a part of your heart open for me. Because I have a part of my heart open for you, too. And...don't worry about small things, like being a hanyou. Because they don't matter to me, and they shouldn't matter to you either..." Kagome blinked hard. It felt good to get it out. She spoke to the ground once more.

"And please, InuYasha; tell Miroku to be true to himself and to not be so uptight. Be nice to Shippo-chan, and don't hurt him, like you usually do. And tell Sango-chan that she should let herself go once in a while, and love." Kagome cried a little more, thinking about her friends. Her tears splashed onto the ashes, clearing them. A tiny blue spot caught Kagome's eyes, and she cleared the ashes away to see what it was.

"Ohhh..." She lifted a dirty blue and white rosary from the ash. It was InuYasha's, no doubt. She laughed, looking at it, recalling the times she had 'sat' him. She remembered the glares and the angry words. "He must be glad to be rid of it." smiled Kagome, dusting it off. She would keep this, as a constant reminder of her adventures in the feudal era of Japan. Slowly, she got up and walked toward her house, pausing to look back once. Never again would she see the fields of the Sengoku-Jidai.

But..was never again really so bad? After all, she had her memories, and the rosary. She had the dirty yellow backpack, the packets of ramen inside. And as long as she had those, he couldn't really be gone, could he? Being sad wouldn't bring the well back. Nevertheless, a final tear slipped from her eye. A tear for InuYasha.

InuYasha looked back one last time. The well was normal, but she was gone. His only true love.

"Kagome...I know you can't hear me, but...just know that I did love you, like you loved me. And I'll always remember you. Knowing you, you would have told me not to sulk, and you would have sat me until you were satisfied. So, I'll listen to you, this time." He turned and walked a few more yards, then looked back again. "Goodbye, Kagome."He drew in a shuddering breath, and smiled, despite himself. It was all going to be all right. And with that, he walked into the deep forest, his footsteps growing softer and softer until they were gone. Merely a memory in the sad forest.

And the well would still stand. It was considerably weakened by the burning, but for now, it stood. The well was the witness. It had seen InuYasha and Kagome confess their love for each other. It had seen the fights, the tears and the laughter. It had seen so much, but could say none. But it did know. It would preserve the memory of the young love that had once traveled back and forth through time.

For eternity.


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue

me: flood cries its finally over! I can't believe its over!

Kikyo: thank goodness...

me: well, loads of thanks to everyone that ever reviewed. And thanks again for putting up with Kikyo, too.

Kikyo: . . . . . . . goes back to looking at Kurama and Hiei yaoi

me: PUT THAT AWAY!!!!! ahem anyways, this is the LAST chapter, so please don't ask me if I'm going to write anymore of this fanfiction. I repeat, this is LAST chapter. so sad. Anyways, I hope you like it, and I'm sorry if it's weird, not to see InuYasha and Kagome together but... shrugs well, please read and review!

InuYasha never saw Kagome again. Nor did Miroku, Shippo or Sango, all of whom missed her dearly and thought of her each day. However, they did continue the search for the Shikon no Tama, as a tribute to both Kagome and Kikyo's memories. It took the group almost two years to find the remaining shards, seeing as they no longer had their jewel detector.

Eventually, they reached Naraku's castle, where he was keeping part of the jewel. The battle was long, hard and bloody. Miroku and Sango fought Kagura and Kanna, while InuYasha focused on Naraku. After they finished off Naraku's incarnates, Miroku and Sango helped InuYasha. Naraku was powerless against InuYasha's Wind Scar, seeing as Kagura was no longer alive to control the wind, and the powerful attack smashed into Naraku's back, splitting the symbol of Onigumo in two.

Naraku was finally gone. After almost three years, he was dead. Sango rushed into his castle, to search for Kohaku. Miroku was in awe; his hand was perfectly normal. The only person who didn't seem overjoyed was InuYasha. All he could think about was how Kagome should have been here to see this. She had as much of a part in this as any of them. He was alone on the battle field, with Sango searching for Kohaku inside and Miroku rushing off to visit his dead father's grave, to tell him that he had finally succeeded.. The Shikon no Tama was finally complete, and it glimmered and shined in front of him. This was what he had wanted for so long; he had dreamed of this moment, when he would take the jewel and become full demon. But...she hadn't wanted him to become a demon. Kagome had always told him to be himself.

_I like you the way you are, InuYasha. _

He wouldn't become a demon. For Kagome, and for Kagome only, would he deny this feeling inside him. Scooping up the jewel, he left the grounds wordlessly, traveling back to Kaede's. He would give her the jewel, and she would protect it, as she should.

After he delivered the jewel, InuYasha disappeared. No one ever saw him again, and today, his whereabouts are still unknown.

After a half hour of searching, Sango located her younger brother. When Naraku died, he had been freed of his curse, and slowly, he was regaining his memories. He and Sango decided to carry on the family tradition, which was to find a village in need of demon slayers. They settled down in a good-sized village, near their old one.

Miroku decided to continue on being a traveling monk. He performed many exorcisms and different spiritual activities. The houshi still flirted with every woman he came across, but the only one that was really on his mind was Sango, whom he hadn't seen since the battle. One winter morning, he came across a village being attacked by demons. True to his duty, Miroku began to fight them, only to find Sango and Kohaku fighting alongside him; it turned out it was their village. Feeling he had nothing to lose, he professed his love to Sango. He expected to be slapped, or dealt a crushing blow with her oversized weapon. What he didn't expect was for her to tear up and hug him, telling him that she felt the same way. Three months later, the two were wed, and after all the years of begging, Sango finally bore Miroku's children: two girls. The first was named Kagome, as a tribute to the young miko. The second one bore the name of Riku, after Sango and Kohaku's mother. The couple lived a happy life together, for seven years, until Sango and Riku were killed in a demon attack. Miroku never remarried.

Higurashi Kagome went on with her life, as she had before the revelation of the feudal era. She dated Hojo for a bit, until they went off to separate schools, and lost touch. Kagome studied to become a photographer, and she succeeded, with her photos published in the Kyoto newspaper. While she was on a plane to China, for her work, she met a man by the name of Suichi Iwata. He was very standoffish, but he seemed to recognize Kagome. As if by destiny, he was her new partner: Iwata wrote the article, while Kagome snapped the pictures. Iwata's demeanor reminded her forcefully of InuYasha: strong and sarcastic on the outside, but inwardly, a sensitive person. After a year and a half of working together, Iwata proposed to Kagome, who happily accepted. The two adopted a two year old boy from an orphanage in Hokkaido, where they lived the rest of their lives together, until Iwata died at the age of eighty seven, due to heart failure. Kagome died three years after him, in her sleep. The hour before she died, she lifted the rosary from the drawer in her dresser, and placed it on her night table. It was the last thing she saw before she gave in to sleep.

The well lasted for many more centuries. Kaede told children the tales of the young girl who traveled from the twenty-first century to here, in a flat second. With the help of a white-haired dog demon, the girl traveled around Japan, searching for the shards of a sacred jewel. She had three other companions, as well, including a demon slayer with a large boomerang, a monk with a hole in his hand, and a tiny fox demon.

This legend went down in history, and will never be forgotten.

me: I'm sorry if this isn't too good. I'm pretty bad at writing epilogues, and I kept deleting it, and deleting it, until I finally settled on this.

Kikyo: cough it is bad, isn't it? cough

me: lol. Well, I have three more ideas for fanfics, so never fear, I shall be back! Muahahahahah!!

Kikyo: she's finally lost her mind... well, I'll say this for her: Please read and review!!


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